Belt-mounted tape dispenser apparatus

Abstract

A belt-mountable tape dispenser operable with one hand for the retrieval and cutting of a predetermined length of tape from a spool of tape mounted to the dispenser. The tape dispenser includes a frame fabricated from a malleable material to accommodate conforming the frame to the waist of the wearer. Belt clips on each end of the frame releasably mount the frame to the belt. A strut extends downwardly from the frame and rotatably supports a reel upon which the spool of tape can be mounted. A cutter assembly and a cutter shield are removably attached to the strut. The cutter assembly and the cutter shield are adaptable to being mounted to the strut for either a left-hand operation or a right-hand operation. The placement of the reel below the frame prevents the pulling and tearing forces imposed on the tape from dislodging the tape dispenser from the belt.

What is claimed and desired to be secured by United States Letters Patent is: 
     
       1. A belt-mountable tape dispenser comprising: a curvilinear frame, said curvilinear frame forming a support structure for said belt-mountable tape dispenser, said curvilinear frame having a curvature generally corresponding to the external profile of the waist of a person to whom said belt-mountable tape dispenser is removably affixed, said curvilinear frame having a first end and a second end;   a first belt clip mounted to said first end of said curvilinear frame and a second belt clip mounted to said second end of said curvilinear frame;   a strut mounted to said curvilinear frame at a point equidistant between said first end and said second end of said curvilinear frame, said strut extending perpendicularly downwardly from said curvilinear frame when said curvilinear frame is mounted to the belt with said first belt clip and with said second belt clip;   a tape reel rotatably mounted to said strut in spaced relationship to said curvilinear frame; and   a cutter assembly removably mounted to said strut, said cutter assembly including an arm having a first end and a second end, said first end having mounting means for removably mounting said cutter assembly to said strut, said second end of said arm having a cutter bar, said cutter bar extending perpendicularly from said arm and extending outwardly from said curvilinear frame, said cutter bar including a first cutter and a second cutter, said first cutter being mounted to an upper surface of said cutter bar with said second cutter being mounted to a lower surface of said cutter bar.   
     
     
       2. The belt-mountable tape dispenser defined in claim 1 wherein said belt-mountable tape dispenser includes a cutter shield for selectively shielding said first cutter and said second cutter. 
     
     
       3. The belt-mountable tape dispenser defined in claim 2 wherein said cutter shield is fabricated from a resilient material for resiliently and selectively holding said cutter shield against said first cutter and said second cutter. 
     
     
       4. The belt-mountable tape dispenser defined in claim 3 wherein said cutter shield is reversible to selectively shield said first cutter and said second cutter. 
     
     
       5. The belt-mountable tape dispenser defined in claim 4 wherein said cutter shield includes a planar element for shielding said first cutter and said second cutter, said planar shield having a first end and a second end, said first end being selectively juxtaposed to said first cutter and said second cutter, said second end being detachably mountable to said strut adjacent to and in abutment against said strut to hold said second end to allow said first end to be resiliently held selectively against said first cutter and said second cutter. 
     
     
       6. The belt-mountable tape dispenser defined in claim 1 wherein said tape reel is rotatably secured to said strut at a position below said curvilinear frame when said curvilinear frame is mounted to the belt, said reel removably holding a spool of tape below said curvilinear frame. 
     
     
       7. The belt-mountable tape dispenser defined in claim 6 wherein said strut supports said reel at an orientation to dispense the tape tangentially relative to said belt-mountable tape dispenser. 
     
     
       8. The belt-mountable tape dispenser defined in claim 7 wherein said cutter bar is mounted to said strut below a midline of said curvilinear frame and thereby supports a downward pull on the tape directed downwardly against said curvilinear frame. 
     
     
       9. A tape dispenser for being releasably mounted to a belt worn by a person comprising: a curvilinear frame having a curvature generally conforming to a waist of the person, said curvilinear frame having a first end and a second end;   a first belt clip secured to said first end of said curvilinear frame and a second belt clip secured to said second end of said curvilinear frame, said first belt clip and said second belt clip releasably securing said curvilinear frame to the belt;   a strut extending downwardly from said curvilinear frame at a point mid-distant between said first belt clip and said second belt clip, said strut having an upper end and a lower end, said upper end being affixed to said curvilinear frame;   a reel rotatably mounted to said strut adjacent said lower end at a position to hold a spool of tape below said curvilinear frame thereby allowing tape from the roll of tape to be pulled from the roll at a direction generally parallel to said curvilinear frame;   a cutter assembly mounted to said strut, said cutter assembly including an arm having a first end and a second end, said first end being mounted to said strut in abutment against said curvilinear frame and extending horizontally from said strut, said arm having a cutter bar extending outwardly from said second end of said arm, said cutter bar extending transversely to the tape dispensed from the spool of tape, said first end of said arm being held in abutment against said curvilinear frame and said strut to support said cutter bar, said arm being removably mounted to said strut to selectively accommodate right hand and left hand removal of the tape from the spool of tape on said reel and cutting the tape with said cutter bar; and   a cutter shield for said cutter assembly, said cutter shield including a planar shield element having a first end and a second end, said first end being releasably mountable to said strut, said second end being resiliently movable and in an orientation to shield said cutter bar.   
     
     
       10. The tape dispenser defined in claim 9 wherein said curvilinear frame is fabricated from a malleable material to accommodate conformation of said curvilinear frame to the waist of the wearer. 
     
     
       11. The tape dispenser defined in claim 9 wherein said first end includes attachment means for releasably attaching said first end to said strut with said second end shielding said cutter bar, said planar shield element being fabricated from a resilient material to accommodate said second end being flexed upwardly away from said cutter bar. 
     
     
       12. The tape dispenser defined in claim 11 wherein said attachment means for releasably attaching said cutter shield to said strut includes a pair of spaced flanges extending perpendicularly from said first end of said planar shield element, each of said flanges being configured to be secured to said strut, each of said flanges including an engagement means for engaging said flange against an edge of said strut. 
     
     
       13. The tape dispenser defined in claim 12 wherein said cutter shield includes a spacer tube for placement between said flanges, each of said flanges including a hole, said cutter shield including a bolt passing through said strut, said flanges and said spacer tube for mounting said cutter shield to said strut.